Gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air. More particularly, the gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air is designed to enable partial cooling of a burner housing and to substantially prevent flames inside a combustion chamber from reaching an inner surface of the combustion chamber, resulting in an extension in the lifespan of the gasification burner. In the gasification burner comprising fuel feed pipe having a fuel injection nozzle, a combustion air feed pipe, an ignition plug, and a temperature sensor, which are located at one side of a combustion chamber defined in a burner housing, the gasification burner further comprises an air chamber unit, and a swirled air feeder unit. The air chamber unit is defined in an outer periphery of one end region of the housing where the fuel feed pipe and the combustion air feed pipe are mounted, and has a partition for providing the air chamber unit with a double-walled structure, defining an air feed channel. The swirled air feeder unit has a plurality of air-jet nozzles arranged along an inner periphery thereof near the fuel injection nozzle within the combustion chamber. The air-jet nozzles are obliquely disposed in a direction to communicate with the air feed channel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air, and more particularly to a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which is designed to enable partial cooling of a burner housing, and to substantially prevent flames inside a combustion chamber from reaching an inner surface of the combustion chamber, resulting in an extension in the lifespan of the gasification burner.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, aqueous waste, such as sewage slurry, food waste, etc., intrinsically contains a great deal of moisture. According to a solution proposed to process such aqueous waste, first, the aqueous waste is dehydrated until the moisture content thereof is reduced down to 70% to 90% via various processes including addition of wastewater treatment agents or activated sludge, sedimentation/concentration, mechanical-dehydration, or thermal-dehydration, etc., and then, the resultant sludge-state waste is burned, or is buried in the land or at the bottom of the sea, or is discharged into the river or the sea.

Burning the sludge-state waste requires a specially manufactured separate incinerator as well as a great deal of fuel since the sludge-state waste to be burned still exhibits a high rate of moisture content. Even once burned, it is necessary to dispose of the resultant mass of ashes.

In case that the sludge-state waste is buried in the land or at the bottom of the sea, it cannot be dissolved by bacteria since additives used in its treatment processes act to hinder effective action of the bacteria contained in the land or the sea water. Further, when the sludge-state waste is discharged into the river or the sea, since the discharged waste contaminates the river or the sea, it is in conflict with environmental laws and regulations.

Therefore, as one solution for more effectively processing a massive amount of the aqueous waste generated each day without causing the above problems, there has been recently proposed a method wherein, once the aqueous waste, such as, excrement, domestic or industrial wastewater, etc., is primarily dehydrated so that it is slightly condensed into sludge-state waste, the resultant sludge-state waste is processed to separate gasified components and dried solid components within a short time in a smokeless and odorless manner without going through combustion.

In order to gasify the sludge-state waste having the moisture content of 70% to 90% in a smokeless and odorless manner within a short time, the sludge-state waste must be instantaneously exposed to high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. For such a gasification of the sludge-state waste, there have been conventionally used various apparatuses, and one of such apparatuses is a gasification burner.

Considering the configuration of a conventionally used gasification burner, it comprises a housing internally defining a combustion chamber, and a fuel feed pipe having a fuel injection nozzle, a combustion air feed pipe, an ignition plug, and a temperature sensor, which are located at one side of the combustion chamber. As a result of burning inside the combustion chamber at a temperature of approximately 1100 to 1500 degrees centigrade, high-temperature heat is discharged from the other side of the combustion chamber at a high-pressure, and comes into instantaneous contact with the sludge-state waste, allowing the sludge-state waste to be dehydrated, pulverized, and consequently gasified.

In such a conventional gasification burner, however, since the interior temperature of the combustion chamber is excessively raised in the process of burning, there are induced many faults related to cooling manners of the combustion chamber.

The cooling manners, employed in the conventional gasification burner, are basically classified into an air-cooling manner, and a water-cooling manner. In case of the former air-cooling manner using a jacket-shaped air chamber defined throughout an outer periphery of the combustion chamber, flames generated inside the combustion chamber reach an inner surface of the combustion chamber, causing an excessive temperature difference between the interior of the combustion chamber and the outside of the air chamber. This induces frequent breakage of welding junctures of the air chamber, and hinders effective cooling of the combustion chamber, making it impossible to use the gasification burner.

The latter water-cooling manner is also unsuitable to cool the above-mentioned extremely high temperature of approximately 1100 to 1500 degrees centigrade using water. Even in the case of rapid pressure rise due to the heating of the water in a circulating channel, there exists a risk of explosion, and thus the gasification burner requires a rigid design sufficient to endure such a high pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is a first object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which is designed to enable partial cooling of a burner housing, and to substantially prevent flames inside a combustion chamber from reaching an inner surface of the combustion chamber, thereby minimizing heat conduction from the combustion chamber to the housing.

It is a second object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can minimize the emission of heat generated within a combustion chamber to the outside.

It is a third object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can allow more effective feeding of combustion air.

It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can allow more effective feeding of a larger amount of combustion air.

It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can feed combustion air and swirled air through the use of a single air feed channel.

It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can make it possible for an operator to directly view the interior of a combustion chamber.

It is a final object of the present invention to provide a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can make it possible for an operator to observe the interior of a combustion chamber using a display device, etc. even from a remote location.

In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a gasification burner comprising a fuel feed pipe having a fuel injection nozzle, a combustion air feed pipe, an ignition plug, and a temperature sensor, which are located at one side of a combustion chamber defined in a burner housing, further comprising: an air chamber unit defined inside an outer periphery of one end region of the housing where the fuel feed pipe and the combustion air feed pipe are mounted, the air chamber unit having a partition for providing the air chamber unit with a double-walled structure, defining an air feed channel; and a swirled air feeder unit having a plurality of air-jet nozzles arranged along an inner periphery thereof around the fuel injection nozzle within the combustion chamber, the air-jet nozzles being obliquely disposed in a direction to communicate with the air feed channel.

Preferably, an inner surface of the combustion chamber may be made of a refractory material.

Preferably, the combustion air feed pipe may include a swirled air spout portion formed at an inner surface of a distal end thereof, the swirled air spout portion having a plurality of swirl blades, which are obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles.

Preferably, the gasification burner may further comprise an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe around the combustion air feed pipe.

Preferably, the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe may include a second swirled air spout portion formed at an inner surface of a distal end thereof, the swirled air spout portion having a plurality of swirl blades, which are obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles.

Preferably, the gasification burner may further comprise an air passage tube for enabling communication between the air feed channel of the air chamber unit and the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe.

Preferably, the gasification burner may further comprise a transparent tube mounted in the housing near the combustion air feed pipe, and having a transparent member.

Preferably, the gasification burner may further comprise a projection unit mounted in the housing near the combustion air feed pipe, and having a transparent member, and a camera located at the outer side of the transparent member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating a gasification burner in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a swirled air feeder unit having air-jet nozzles shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating alternative embodiment of a combustion air feed pipe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a second swirled air spout portion of an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 a is a schematic plan view illustrating a further embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 b is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the gasification burner shown in FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7 a is a schematic plan view illustrating yet another embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 7 b is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the gasification burner shown in FIG. 7 a.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating a gasification burner in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a swirled air feeder unit having air-jet nozzles shown in FIG. 1;

-   -   As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to assure that, as a result         of burning inside a combustion chamber at a temperature of         approximately 1100 to 1500 degrees centigrade, high-temperature         heat is discharged from one side of the combustion chamber at a         high-pressure, and comes into instantaneous contact with the         sludge-state waste, thereby allowing the sludge-state waste to         be dehydrated, pulverized, and consequently gasified, there is         used a gasification burner 100 comprising a housing 110, which         internally defines a combustion chamber 120. Located at one side         of the combustion chamber 120, are a fuel feed pipe 130 having a         fuel injection nozzle 132, a combustion air feed pipe 140 for         feeding secondary combustion air, an ignition plug 150 for         providing a spark required to ignite fuel injected from the fuel         injection nozzle 132, and a temperature sensor (not shown) for         controlling the process of burning of the interior temperature         of the combustion chamber 120.

In the present invention, the gasification burner 100 further comprises an air chamber unit 10, and a swirled air feeder unit 20. The air chamber unit 10 is defined in an outer periphery of one end region of the housing 110 where the fuel feed pipe 130 and the combustion air feed pipe 140 are mounted, and contains a partition 12 for providing the air chamber unit 10 with a double-walled structure. With such a partition 12, inside the air chamber unit 10 is defined an air feed channel 14, so that the air chamber unit 10 is preheated by partially adsorbing the high-temperature heat to be transmitted from the combustion chamber 120 to the housing 110, and serves to lower the temperature of the housing 110.

The swirled air feeder unit 20 includes a plurality of air-jet nozzles 22 arranged along an inner periphery thereof around the fuel injection nozzle 132 within the combustion chamber 120 so that they are obliquely disposed in a direction to communicate with the air feed channel 14, thereby serving to spout swirled air in the form of a whirlpool.

With such a configuration, the swirled air spouted from the air-jet nozzles 22 of the swirled air feeder unit 20 surrounds flames generated within the combustion chamber 120 of the housing 110 during the process of burning, causing the flames to be burned in the center of the combustion chamber 120 in an elongated pattern.

In this case, since the swirled air spouted from the swirled air feeder unit 20 was primarily pre-heated in the air feed channel 14, it can serve to replenish a shortage of combustion air, in addition to the secondary combustion air fed through the combustion air feed pipe 140.

As a result that the flames generated within the combustion chamber 120 in the process of burning are surrounded by the swirled air spouted from the air-jet nozzles 22 of the swirled air feeder unit 20, the flames are gathered and burned in the center of the combustion chamber in an elongated pattern without reaching an inner surface of the combustion chamber 120. This has the effect of minimizing heat conduction from the combustion chamber 120 to the housing 110, substantially preventing damage to the housing 110, and extending the lifespan of the gasification burner 100.

Meanwhile, the inner surface of the combustion chamber 120 is made of a refractory material 120A, such as ceramic, etc. suitable to allow heat conduction to be slowly performed to the maximum extent possible. In this way, the heat conduction from the combustion chamber 120 to the housing 110 can be primarily prevented by the swirled air feeder unit 20, and further secondarily prevented by the refractory material 120A constituting the inner surface of the combustion chamber 120, resulting in improvement in durability of the housing 110, and minimizing the emission of the heat generated within the combustion chamber 120 to the outside.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating alternative embodiment of the combustion air feed pipe 140 shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the combustion air feed pipe 140, which is used to feed the secondary combustion air into the combustion chamber 120 of the housing 110, is formed at an inner surface of a distal end thereof with a swirled air spout portion 30. The swirled air spout portion 30 includes a plurality of swirl blades 32, which are obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles 22.

With the swirl blades 32 of the swirled air spout portion 30, air required for the process of burning in the combustion chamber 120 is fed in a swirled pattern, such as a whirlpool. The resultant swirled combustion can be more easily mixed with the fuel injected from the fuel injection nozzle 132, resulting in an increase in combustion efficiency, and allowing the flames generated by ignition to be burned in an elongated swirl pattern in the center of the combustion chamber 120.

As a result, combustion efficiency of the burner according to the present invention is improved, and the flames are concentrated in the center of the combustion chamber 120, substantially preventing the high-temperature heat due to the flames from being transmitted to the outside of the combustion chamber 120.

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a second swirled air spout portion of an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in another embodiment of the gasification burner according to the present invention, the combustion air feed pipe 140 is externally surrounded by an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40.

Thereby, in addition to the secondary combustion air fed from the combustion air feed pipe 140, the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40 advantageously serves to feed a sufficient amount of the secondary combustion air required for the process of burning at a higher temperature, securing more effective combustion.

At an inner surface of a distal end of the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40 is formed a second swirled air spout portion 45 having a plurality of swirl blades 42 obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles 22. In the same manner as the swirled air spout portion 30 formed at the combustion air feed pipe 140, the second swirled air spout portion 45 serves to feed swirled air for causing the swirled air to surround the flames, thereby allowing the flames to be more effectively gathered and burned in the center of the combustion chamber 120 without dispersion.

Meanwhile, the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40 communicates with the air feed channel 14 of the air chamber unit 10 by means of an air passage tube 48. Thereby, rather than to feed additional combustion air to the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40, the primarily pre-heated air is fed to both the swirled air feeder unit 20 and auxiliary combustion air feed pipe 40 using only the single air feed channel 14. This has the effect of simplifying the overall structure of the gasification burner, and increasing feeding efficiency of the combustion air as well as practicality thereof.

FIG. 6 a is a schematic plan view illustrating a further embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6 b is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the gasification burner shown in FIG. 6 a.

As shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, the housing 110, provided with the combustion air feed pipe 140, is further provided with a transparent tube 50 located near the combustion air feed pipe 140. The transparent tube 50 has a known transparent member 52, such as tempered glass, etc.

The transparent tube 50 makes it possible for operators to directly view the process of burning inside the combustion chamber 120 of the gasification burner with their naked eyes, enabling accurate control of combustion.

FIG. 7 a is a schematic plan view illustrating yet another embodiment of the gasification burner in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 7 b is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the gasification burner shown in FIG. 7 a.

As shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b, the housing 110, provided with the combustion air feed pipe 140, is further provided with a projection unit 60 arranged near the combustion air feed pipe 140. The projection unit 60 comprises a transparent member 52, such as tempered glass, etc., and a camera 64 located at the outer side of the transparent member 52, enabling confirmation of the interior conditions of the combustion chamber 120 using a known display device, such as a computer, monitor, or the like.

The projection unit 60 makes it possible for the operator to expediently and simply observe the interior conditions of the combustion chamber 120 of the gasification burner 100 even from a remote location.

As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides various advantageous effects as follows.

First, the present invention provides a gasification burner using high-pressure swirled air which can primarily lower the interior temperature of a combustion chamber using a swirled air feeder unit and an air chamber unit defined in an outer periphery of a burner housing, and can minimize heat conduction from the combustion chamber to the housing by substantially preventing flames within the combustion chamber from reaching an inner surface of the combustion chamber, thereby minimizing the emission of heat to the outside, and securing safe operation as well as extended lifespan of the gasification burner.

Second, according to the present invention, combustion air can be effectively fed through the swirled air feeder unit with increased combustion efficiency while minimizing dispersion of the flames.

Third, the use of an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe, designed to feed a larger amount of combustion air required in case of high-temperature combustion, enables more effective feeding of the combustion air, minimizing dispersion of the flames to the maximum extent possible.

Fourth, since the combustion air can be fed to both the swirled air feeder unit and the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe through a single air feed channel, it is possible to simplify the overall structure of the gasification burner and to secure effective feeding of the combustion air, resulting in improvement of practicality.

Fifth, the gasification burner of the present invention is designed to allow an operator to easily view the interior of the combustion chamber, enabling confirmation of whether the process of burning within the combustion chamber is successfully performed or not.

Finally, according to the present invention, the interior of the combustion chamber can be observed even from a remote location using a display device, or the like, enabling expedient and simple confirmation related to the process of burning.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

1. A gasification burner comprising a fuel feed pipe having a fuel injection nozzle, a combustion air feed pipe, an ignition plug, and a temperature sensor, which are located at one side of a combustion chamber defined in a burner housing, further comprising: an air chamber unit defined inside an outer periphery of one end region of the housing where the fuel feed pipe and the combustion air feed pipe are mounted, the air chamber unit having a partition for providing the air chamber unit with a double-walled structure, defining an air feed channel; and a swirled air feeder unit having a plurality of air-jet nozzles arranged along an inner periphery thereof around the fuel injection nozzle within the combustion chamber, the air-jet nozzles being obliquely disposed in a direction to communicate with the air feed channel.
 2. The burner as set forth in claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the combustion chamber is made of a refractory material.
 3. The burner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the combustion air feed pipe includes a swirled air spout portion formed at an inner surface of a distal end thereof, the swirled air spout portion having a plurality of swirl blades, which are obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles.
 4. The burner as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary combustion air feed pipe around the combustion air feed pipe.
 5. The burner as set forth in claim 4, wherein the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe includes a second swirled air spout portion formed at an inner surface of a distal end thereof, the swirled air spout portion having a plurality of swirl blades, which are obliquely arranged in the same direction as the air-jet nozzles.
 6. The burner as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: an air passage tube for enabling communication between the air feed channel of the air chamber unit and the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe.
 7. The burner as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a transparent tube mounted in the housing near the combustion air feed pipe, and having a transparent member.
 8. The burner as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a projection unit mounted in the housing near the combustion air feed pipe, and having a transparent member, and a camera located at the outer side of the transparent member.
 9. The burner as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: an air passage tube for enabling communication between the air feed channel of the air chamber unit and the auxiliary combustion air feed pipe.
 10. The burner as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: a projection unit mounted in the housing near the combustion air feed pipe, and having a transparent member, and a camera located at the outer side of the transparent member. 